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While it may not yet be the new beast of the Big East, the University of Miami is serving notice to its conference opponents that it is no longer the least. On Saturday, the Hurricanes scored a breakthrough victory by winning their third consecutive conference game, defeating Boston College 69-68 at Miami Arena. The victory means UM (8-5, 3-3) has a .500 conference record at the latest point in the season in school history. It also means that the Hurricanes are regaining the respect they lost last year while setting a conference record for futility by losing each of their 18 league games.

University of Miami free safety Earl Little won an appeal Wednesday from the NCAA and will be eligible to play in Saturday's season opener against Boston College (3:30 p.m., Chs. 6 and 12). Little, a graduate of North Miami High School, needed NCAA approval after transferring from Michigan in January. Under NCAA rules, a player must sit out one year after transferring. Little will have four years of eligibility at Miami. "This is an added plus because Earl can contribute right away," said UM coach Dennis Erickson.

With Virginia Tech and Miami expected to join the Atlantic Coast Conference within the next couple of days, the Big East's remaining teams are left to figure out what to do next. In a statement released Wednesday, Syracuse expressed disappointment over the latest developments, which included the Orangemen and Boston College being left out of the ACC's expansion plans. "We are disappointed that a decision like this was made," Syracuse spokesman Kevin Morrow said in the statement. "Clearly there are issues that have come into play that outreach the quality and value of our institution and its athletic program."

They came one by one before a cluster of garnet and gold. They stood there before their fellow Florida State coaches or teammates and they looked into people's eyes while they spoke. After most practices each Thursday, the FSU football team - players, coaches and all - meet in a far corner of the Seminoles' practice fields. It was no different a few days ago, except the gathering lasted longer than normal, and was more intense. "We just let everybody know - this is a big one," said running back Antone Smith, out of Pahokee.

Sunday's 63-59 home loss to Clemson was the ninth time in Miami's past 10 ACC games that the final margin was four points or fewer. This stretch, which has defined the Hurricanes' season (16-11, 4-8), started with a 72-71 home win against Boston College on Jan. 15. The Hurricanes, who've lost five of the past eight nail-biters, will take on the Eagles again Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Boston. Coach Frank Haith said he feels his team has gotten better since the start of conference play, but Sunday "we probably took a step back because our guard play was not very good.

There was no letdown for the University of Miami against Boston College. Instead, they left the Eagles beaten down. The 25th-ranked Hurricanes, showing no hangover from last week's victory over West Virginia, pummeled Boston College 35-17 before 32,917 Saturday at the Orange Bowl. The victory keeps UM (5-2, 3-1) in the running for the Big East title and a possible appearance in a Bowl Championship Series game, which likely would be the Orange Bowl. For the second consecutive week, tailback Edgerrin James led the Hurricanes' offense.

Craig Brown reached into Florida's tawdry basketball past and helped make history for the Gators. He looked like the second coming of Vernon Maxwell for a span of two minutes Sunday in Florida's 74-66 victory over Boston College in the NCAA East Regional Championship as the Gators advanced to the Final Four for the first time. Brown was the Maxwell who hit leaning, falling three-pointers and could change a game with his superb athleticism. Brown, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, did that with three consecutive three-pointers, a blocked shot, an important rebound and a pass to set up two free throws in the closing minutes.

MIAMI -- The Hurricanes took the surreal trip from sleepwalking to wide- awake dreaming in yet another zany Saturday of college football upsets. The third-ranked `Canes stirred from a first-half slumber to rout Boston College 42-12 before 50,942 in the Orange Bowl. Coupled with No. 1 Notre Dame`s 24-21 loss to Penn State, UM`s dreams of a title are alive and well. The `Canes (7-2) could climb to No. 2 behind likely new No. 1 Colorado in Monday`s Associated Press poll. The stage is set for Miami to make a title run. "I think we have a great shot," UM coach Dennis Erickson said.

Boston College became the third Big East member to accept an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sunday after ACC presidents agreed to make the school the 12th member of the conference. The vote to extend a formal invitation was unanimous. Boston College accepted the invitation and will join the ACC by 2006. It could be sooner if Boston College and the Big East agree that the school is in compliance with bylaws governing an institution's withdrawal from the conference. "This institution represents and shares the values for which the ACC has long been known," said Dr. James F. Barker, Clemson's president and chairman of the Council of Presidents.

Miami men's basketball coach Frank Haith sees great potential in sophomore Garrius Adams. He's just waiting for Adams to see it too. "We challenged Garrius to step up after the Duke game because we need more out of him and he's very capable," Haith said. "We execute a lot better offensively when he's in the game. He's extremely important to our success. " "I don't think Garrius knows how good he is yet, but he will," junior Malcolm Grant said. Haith said the Hurricanes (11-5, 0-2)